Master

E.N. SREEPATHY EMBRANTHIRI GURUKKAL [GRAND MASTER][1929-2000]

Familiarly known as MANI SWAMI, Sri.SREEPATHY EMBRANTHIRI GURUKKAL hails from a Tulu Brahmin family of Mangalore. Born to Sri Narayanan Rao and Smt Kamala Rao in 1929, at Padubidri in Mangalore, he came to Nettoor at Ernakulam along with his paternal aunt at the age of two.

After completing his preliminary education, he started taking lessons in the Traditional Martial Arts called Kalarippayat at the age of 14. As Kalari instruction was against of the expectations of his caste there was vehement disapproval from all sides. Yet Sreepathy Embranthiri pursued it with determination. For 11 years he practiced rigorously the Northern style from Sri KRISHNAN GURUKKAL and the Southern style from Sri. NARAYANAN GURUKKAL and hence is capable of using both the styles effectively.

Whilst high priest of Nettoor Mahadeva Temple he used to provide free services using “UZHICHIL, PIZHICHIL” and ‘MARMMACHIKILSA’ in an unceasing service to society. He served as a Kalari instructor for about 10 years, from 1960 onwards at Shoranur High School and from 1974 onwards at Ernakulam Gymnasium. Later, from 1982 onwards he was the instructor at Bharathiya Vidya Bhavan. Meanwhile he initiated E.N.S.KALARI at Nettoor in 1954.

It was thanks to his inspiration that the normal three-month syllabus was expanded into a regular daily and weekly cycle designed to operate throughout the year, not just during the rainy season. This has become the normal present–day Kalari syllabus.

As a direct result of his spiritual practice linking him with Ganapathy and Hanuman, he created a new application of Marmma by following the normal Kalari training with precise application of Marmma vital points.

E.N.SREEPATHY EMBRANTHIRI GUKKUAL passed away on 11-07-2000. Married to Smt. PADMAVATHY, he had three children: E.S.NARAYANAN EMBRANTHIRI, E.S.JAYASREE EMBRANTHIRI, and E.S.VIJAYASREE EMBRANTHIRI. They too, like the great masters, have achieved recognition in this field.

E.S.NARAYANAN EMBRANTHIRI

E.S. NARAYANAN EMBRANTIRI, born in 1970 at Ernakulam district, received his primary Education from his mother, a teacher. His secondary education was at Panangad High School. He started taking lessons from his father E.S. SREEPATHY EMBRANTHIRI GURUKKAL at the age of 14.

His training at the time started at 3.00 am till 5.00 am and in the evenings form 7.30 pm to 9.00 pm. After completing Pre-Degree Education he devoted himself entirely to the study of Kalari, which he also taught at Vidyodaya School, Thevakkal. He has worked as a permanent teacher there since 1990 where he established Kalarippayatt as a regular subject. In 1992 he went to South Africa for the purpose of teaching and demonstrating Kalarippatt by the invitation of World Seido Karate Association.

Narayanan initiated daily Kalari demonstrations in 1992. His global knowledge of the overall structure of Kalarippayatt made it possible for him to innovate modular courses, special units of varying length appreciated by visitors from abroad. In 1998 he choreographed Music and Kalari in Delhi Doordarshan [All India Television]. He and disciples demonstrated Kalarippatt for the documentry called Homing Pigeons by A RA Vision for the Ministry of External Affairs, Govt. Of India. In 2001 he choreographed Fight situations for the Greek drama Media and the same year he also choreographed Kalarippayatt with Yoga and Classical Dance. He is thus continuing to devote himself to the development of KALARIPPAYATT.

E.S. VIJAYASREE EMBRANTHIRI

VIJAYASREE EMBRANTHIRI was born in 1975 at Ernakulam dist, received her primary education from her mother, a teacher. Her secondary education was at St. Marys Upper Primary School Maradu, and her high schooling at the govt. school, Tripunithura. Her pre-degree education was at Aquinas collage in Edakochi and she took a B.Sc in maths at St.Paul’s College in Kalamassary. Both her B.PEd. [ Bachelor of Physical Education] and her M.PEd [Master of Physical Education] were received from Sree Sarada Collage at Salem.

She took Y.T.T.C [Yoga Teacher’s Training Course] in Sivananda Ashram at Neyar Dam. She started Kalari training at the age of 11 with her father E.N. SREEPATHY EMBRANTHIRI GURUKKAL. She practised with her brother. She is the assistant teacher at E.N.S Kalari as well as the official spokeswoman of the centre.